Abstract
Introduction: The shift in dietary patterns of citizens will have a larger environmental footprint, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of natural resources. For example, diets high in milk and meat, particularly from ruminants, is associated with increasing emissions of methane from enteric fermentation, carbon dioxide from deforestation for pasture, and nitrous oxide from feed production. Objectives: For a more sustainable consumption the aim of this study was to quantify and compare the contribution to climate change of one portion of what you eat overall coming from the shelf of Food Wheel related with meat, poultry, fish and eggs to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. Methods: Life Cycle Assessment, based on ISO 14040/44 standards was the methodology used. The inventory analysis and, subsequently, the impact analysis were performed using the software SimaPro 8.5. The method chosen for the environmental impact assessment was IPCC 2013 GWP 100a. Results: The results show that a mackerel (fish) portion presents the lower ecological footprint followed by a portion of codfish, chicken, pork tenderloin, eggs, lobster and cow tenderloin, respectively. Conclusions: The main conclusion of this study is that life cycle impact assessment, using the IPCC 2013 GWP 100a, is a method that can help the people to choose the best food for a meal that is more environmentally friendly helping to mitigate the climate change.
Highlights
The shift in dietary patterns of citizens will have a larger environmental footprint, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of natural resources
For a more sustainable consumption the aim of this study was to quantify and compare the contribution to climate change of one portion of what you eat overall coming from each shelf of Food Wheel, using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology
It should be noted that the datasets for eggs were taken from Agri-footprint project while all others came from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Food DK Project, as mentioned before
Summary
The shift in dietary patterns of citizens will have a larger environmental footprint, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of natural resources. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN 2015) demands, as the first steps toward eliminating all forms of exclusion and inequality everywhere, an end to poverty, hunger and malnutrition, and universal access to health care, all with strong attention to gender issues; it seeks a global shift to sustainable consumption and production This Agenda, contains a legal instrument, the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC 2015) on climate change, which commits all nations to taking steps to prevent global temperature from rising 2°C above pre-industrial levels (and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change). The shift to diets high in milk and meat, from ruminants, is associated with increasing emissions of methane from enteric fermentation, carbon dioxide from deforestation for pasture, and nitrous oxide from feed production.
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